Into The Mirror
by let'smakeitsomeday
Summary: It was the tradition of the southern water tribe, once a girl reached the age of 14 she had only 4 more years before it would be time for her to get married. The mirror that was closely guarded by the wise woman of the tribe could see the special other half of the girls life.


**i've had this on my computer for a while now, so i thought i'd post it. i got the idea from a bit of fan art i saw and just went with it. let me know what you think please**

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The cold air bit at Katara's exposed face as she stood in front of the small hut. At the age of 14 she was now ready to look into the mirror and see who it was that would capture her heart. That would be if she ever met them. It was the tradition of the southern water tribe, once a girl reached the age of 14 she had only 4 more years before it would be time for her to get married. The mirror that was closely guarded by the wise woman of the tribe could see the special other half of the girls life. For as long as anyone could remember it had only happened once before that a girl saw she was meant for someone who wasn't from the water tribe, he had been a man from the earth kingdom. It had been a long time ago and Nami had never left the water tribe so she never met him. Choosing to marry one of her fellow tribesmen.

Taking a deep breath Katara pulled on the string hidden from the wind sending the small chimes tinkling and bowing her head she stepped into the dark inside of the hut.  
The smell of incense and smoke filled the air as Katara let the heavy cloth fall back in place covering the door  
"Are you ready my child?" The wise woman spoke from her place by the fire  
"Yes wise one, I bring with me a shard of ice that cannot melt as payment, please show me who it is that is my other half" Katara softly lay the shard of ice on the small table in front of the wise woman. It was the same payment every time, what the wise woman did with the unmalting ice no one knew but a week before a girl was sent to see the wise woman they were sent to the small cave under the snow to get a shard of the ice that grew there as payment.

Picking up the shard the wise woman placed it in the sleeve of her robe and stood. For someone as old as she, for she must be the same age as Katara's gran gran, she moved with the grace of water itself. As she walked the was tiny jingles from the bells sown to the hem of her sleeves. Crossing the hut she reached a low table with a cloth covering whatever was under it, and with a soft tug she pulled the cloth free exposing the mirror that had been hiding under. The mirror wasn't very big but it was beautiful, it was made out of ice, a big flat sheet was surrounded by detailed ice forming patterns and at the top and bottom was the water tribe symbols, as Katara watched she was sure that the ice on the outside was moving, swaying and weaving in and out just like water. Kneeling in front of the mirror Katara gasped as the image changed from her on her own, the young 14 year old who was still growing into a young woman. Looking at her Katara realised that it was still her from looking at the hair loopies, that meant that she's not met the man yet or not married him or she wouldn't still bare her loopies. the hair loopies were the only thing the same about her hair, half of it was pulled into a bun that rested against the back of her neck while the other half was pulled into an arrangement about a crown like hair decoration. She wore a pale blue dress with a darker blue belt tied around her waist and her mother's necklace was still there. She was sat in a strange room, not one like you would find in the water tribe, not even if you went up to the northern tribe. As she watched the door behind the woman opened and a man walked in pulling a tie out of his hair as he walked letting it fall free apart from the knot on the top of his head that held the fire lords hair piece. He wore a pair of pants tucked into a set of boots and that was it, sweat glistened on his bare chest and Katara had to hold back a gasp as he walked up the older version of her and kissed her. And watched as the older version of her placed one hand on the scar that covered one side of his face. Just as he was pulling back from the kiss there was a crack and the mirror exploded in shards of fine ice cutting Katara on the cheek as one flew passed her.  
"Well, it would seem that the one you are destined with is a powerful man, was it someone you recognise?" The wise woman came around and placed a cloth to Katara's bleeding cheek  
"He wore the crown of the fire lord" Katara gasped as realisation came to her  
"I'm going to be with the fire lord?" She bit her lip, but the fire lord was old, and the last time a description had come to the tribe it had mentioned nothing about a scar covering one side of his face.  
"It might not be the current fire lord my child but the next" The wise woman spoke calmly, really there was nothing to be done, the spirit world and it's spirits had chosen and if they ever met then there would be no stopping it.  
"Rest child, the mirror I need to fix so you would better be going" The wise woman rose and crossed the hut once more to a box that lay near the fire, picking it up she returned to the broken mirror and Katara left. She'd barely been walking when she bumped into Sokka  
"So how did it go?" Sokka had dreaded this day from the moment Katara had been born, she was his little sister and he wasn't too happy that he would be giving her to another man, one who he didn't think would deserve her. But when he looked under the hood that hid his sisters face he frowned at how pale she was  
"Do you want to go for a boat ride?" he asked knowing what the answer could be. "We can catch some fish" smiling he took her hand and lead her to where the boats were kept.

Katara woke with a start, it had been a long time since she'd had that dream, it was 4 years after the final battle had taken place and they were all staying at Ozai's no, Zuko's beach house. Looking through the window Katara saw that the light was only just creeping through. Throwing back the covers she sighed, knowing that she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep even if she tried. Maybe a cup of tea would help her. Padding softly down the corridor to the kitchen she nearly screamed as she bumped into someone, even as she bit her lip to stop the scream her hands moved to make the water from the pot next to her form a spear and point at the other person  
"Katara, it's just me don't scream" Zuko hissed as he as he moved his hand to cover her mouth  
Glaring at him Katara pulled back  
"Spirits Zuko, what are you doing going around in the dark?" she hissed  
"This is still my beach house I think so if I feel the need to get a drink then I will" Zuko looked at her  
"What are you even doing up at this time?" Katara asked before growling at herself for the stupid question  
"Fire bender remember? Rise with the sun thing" He pointed at himself "What are you doing up at this time?"  
"I couldn't get back to sleep so I thought I'm make some tea" She crossed her arms glaring at him. None of them had seen the new fire lord much, Aang being the only one who had really. But that being said Aang played the avatar card if the guards wouldn't let him through.  
"Do you want me to make you some? The fire went out so it would take a while for the water to boil for you" Zuko smiled at her and Katara blinked. Memories of the dream flowing through her head  
"Yeah you're highness, I would like that very much" Katara followed him back into the kitchen.

"How's it going in the south pole?" Zuko asked as he hunted down 2 mugs  
"Well, we're establishing a trading rout to the earth kingdom and getting things that hadn't been seen for a long time" Katara sat on the chair and pulled her knees up to her chest  
"And you? How's it going with you?" Resting her cheek on her knees she watched as Zuko turned to look at her to answer  
"It's hard, I never really understood what my father had done to the fire nation until it was too late nearly, I'm trying my best but some of his old supporters still want him on the throne, well him or my sister" He sighed and rubbed his face.  
"It'll be okay, if worst just send Aang in to a meeting with them when he's had too much sugar" Katara giggled at the memory of the hyper Aang when he must have been about 13  
"I don't think that would work anymore, too grown up now" Zuko snorted before pouring the boiling tea into the mugs and handing one to Katara  
"How's it going with you two?" He sat across from her  
"Well" Katara cradled the mug in her hands as she thought how best to answer  
"Not well" She sighed before taking a sip of tea  
"How'd you mean?" Zuko looked at her fully  
"At first it was good, I mean we were both young so nothing really mattered but now it's" She paused trying to find the right words  
"Doesn't feel right?" Zuko offered  
"Yes, I realised that I was still mothering him like I did when we were traveling. Like he was still the 12 year old that I found in the ice and not the 16 year old he is" Katara sighed before looking at the clock "And I'm running out of time as it is"  
"What do you mean?" Zuko frowned  
"We broke up for a bit about 6 months ago, we were only going to have a month and see then but we just never got back together, I turn 18 tomorrow as well and according to the tribes customs then if I'm not with someone by then and arranged marriage will be established. From tomorrow I have to lose the hair loopies" She gave a gentle tug as she spoke  
"Lose the hair loopies?" Zuko drank some of his tea  
"Yeah, hair loopies are for young girls who aren't married in the southern water tribe, not too sure about the northern tribe. Up until the age of 18 they wear them, once they turn 18 then the beaded braids come into play" Katara dropped the hair loopie and drank again  
"And they mean that you're ready for marriage?" Zuko asked  
"yeah. What's the custom in the fire nation?" Katara looked up at him  
"I don't think there is one really, just get married really" Zuko scratched the back of his neck  
"So Mai doesn't get anything to show she's of marrying age? Will she get something when you ask her to marry you?" Katara asked  
"I don't think I'm going to ask her. Things aren't going too well with us at the moment" Zuko sighed  
"Want a shoulder to lean on?" Katara asked propping her shoulder forwards to make him smile  
"What's wrong then?"  
"Well same as you and Aang, it just doesn't feel right anymore. She's nice and all, a bit more expressive than when we were younger but"  
"You love her but you're not in love with her?" Katara asked understanding what he meant  
"Yeah that's it. and it's the same as you and Aang as well, we broke up and we're not back together yet and I'm not sure she wants to get back together really"  
"This is awful, both of us are single, who are we going to take to Sokka and Suki's wedding?" Katara threw her hands above her a smile on her face  
"Maybe we just go on our own, stand in the corner and sulk" Zuko chuckled  
"I can't do that, I'm the bridesmaid I have to be seen" Katara rolled her eyes at him  
"then how about you just get really drunk and dance with whoever you can find?" Zuko offered  
"You make an awful person to do girly talks with" Katara snorted  
"That might be because I'm not a girl" Zuko rolled his eyes  
"I don't know, you can scream like a girl, remember the time Sokka stuck that snake in your sleeping bag?" Katara giggled as she watched Zuko's face turn red  
"You would have screamed as well" Zuko crossed his arms  
"Not like you did, you put most girls to shame with that scream" Katara smiled at him  
"Why don't we go to the wedding together then?" Zuko suddenly asked making Katara choke on the mouthful of tea she'd just sipped, she promptly spat it out, spraying Zuko with it.  
"What was that for?" Zuko jumped up  
"Stay still and I'll fix it" Katara jumped up as well and stepped closer to him, raising her arms she bent the water out of his clothes  
"See that wasn't so bad" She sat down once more  
"Why did you spray me?" Zuko sat again and glared at the woman opposite him  
"You shouldn't say something like that when someone is drinking" Katara sighed before picking her cup up again and after giving him a quick glance she took another drink. Before either of them could say anything they both heard people moving about up the stairs  
"Looks like everyone's up, or it might just be Sokka and Suki, I hope they locked the door this time, Aang was traumatised when he walked in on them once" Katara giggled at the memory as 4 sets of footsteps made their way to where she and Zuko were sat


End file.
